JUDICIOUS, dangerous fellows

☡：ＳＥＶＥＮ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ sᴇᴠᴇɴ:
ᴅᴇɴsᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴄᴏɴᴄʀᴇᴛᴇ
︎⚠︎

THE HALLWAYS were dead silent. It's been a while since the little escapade that you had with Scarlett happened. Lawrence was the one to apologize for the blonde's impudent behavior, but you just shrug it off.

He said that they'll have an impromptu meeting on whose room you're going to stay. For the meantime while they're at it, he asked for anyone to give you a mini tour around the safe areas of the building. Of course, Emcee was quick to raise her hand to volunteer herself, leading to where you are now: here walking on cold, dead silent hallways. Only her continuous rambling is the one that's keeping you occupied.

"I know that Scarlett was also rude to me when I first came here, but her reaction towards you is like­― five times worse than mine! It's like..." your little sister trails off with her eyebrows scrunched, as if trying to make sense out of the situation. "It's like she's holding grudges towards you." Her head shot up and looks at you. Curiosity getting the best of her. "Do you know Scarlett before the epidemic?"

"Eh, who knows? That might be the case." You shrug noncommittally, brushing off a fringe of your hair to the side. "Or maybe she's just a paranoid and overly cautious individual who's always wary of new people, or just a totally plain stuck-up ass."

Blinking twice, Emcee just nodded afterwards. She knows enough that you're pretty much of a secretive person, and she already catch the gist that whatever the relation you have with Scarlett, which seems to make the latter act up, you are not planning to reveal it to her or anyone in particular any time soon.

Silence stretch between the two of you once again. But that didn't last long enough when Emcee speak again.

"Hey, (Name)..."

"Mhm?"

"I'm really glad you're now here with me." Your sister states in a heartfelt manner. A smile present on her lips while looking at you as you two continue strolling through the chilly corridors, even though the warm rays of sun were shining through welded shut windows. "I really thought I'd never see you... or anyone in our family ever again." She grab ahold of your arm. "I'm happy."

You give her a simper that shortly shifts back into your neutral expression as soon as it appears. "Where's mama, by the way? Why aren't you with her?"

"Um," her smile vanishes at the mention of your mother and avert her eyes away. "I don't know, honestly... the last time I saw her was when I left the house to go to school. I'm just hoping that she's safe out there." She shake her head to erase all of the melancholic thoughts she have. Renewing the enthusiasm onto her face, she squeezes your arm. "Anyway, where's papa? Oh wait― don't tell me!" She hastily raise a hand to stop you from saying anything. As if you're planning to speak to begin with. "I bet he's assisting at the lab again and working on finding a cure, isn't he?" Emcee chuckles and grin broadly. "I really miss him so much, especially the stupid and corny jokes he cracks."

You didn't reply. Instead, your E/C gaze only dawdle to the corner of your eyes without even bothering to turn your head to properly face her.

It seems that what your plain yet meaningful stare is indicating reach to her. She perceive the message behind it as her eyes widen in surprise. The hold she have on your biceps loosens up. "Oh..." her bright eyes became downcast and glossy. She bit her lower lips to prevent herself from getting emotional. "Um, how...?"

"He got infected." You brusquely answer. Not exactly planning to elaborate further than that, knowing how she will react and feel once she discover what truly happened to your father, and how things had transcended. It'll be best for now to keep the truth from her as a secret.